Fire and Ice
by LitNiche
Summary: AU: Elsa and Anna aren't sisters, but best friends. Elsanna friendship, fluff, and building romance ::: Anna grew up alongside Elsa as her friend more than her servant, the king and queen treating her as Elsa's sister. Elsa accidentally froze Anna when they were children; the trolls gave Anna her own fiery powers to balance Elsa's. Begins with coronation day.
1. Bittersweet Beginnings

_A/N: Hi! Thanks to wonderful authors like Requ and Hunhund as well as my own giddy clapping at the idea after I saw the movie, I'm majorly shipping Elsanna, haha. I'm not sure if there's a story like this out there, but if there is I'm unaware and this is my own take ^^ Hope you enjoy/ let me know what you think ^^  
Cover art by LunaHermione on deviantART, entitled "Heat and Ice"; see my profile for a link under "Image Creds."  
_

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Coronation Day, Part I: Bittersweet Beginnings

"Anna," Elsa took hold of Anna's wrist gently as she sat at her vanity, stopping Anna from fussing with her hair further as she stood behind her. Her voice was gentle and reassuring as she rubbed her thumb over Anna's knuckles sweetly. "It's fine, thank you."

It was more than fine. It was perfect. Anna had chosen the former queen's hairstyle for Elsa's coronation day. She wouldn't have thought of it herself. Anna always knew how to remind Elsa of her parents in subtle, encouraging ways that didn't make her retreat inwardly as so many others did. She appreciated the styling in her mirror, savoring the bittersweet moment.

Anna blushed slightly in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I just want everything to be perfect for you today, Your Majesty," she nearly gushed.

Elsa let out a single breath of a chuckle that went unnoticed by the other young woman. She watched Anna cross the room in her vanity's mirror. The girl had been her 'second in command' as they joked since she could remember. Every lesson, every meal, every bit of trouble she'd found herself in growing up had been spent with the feisty red head. She was, without a doubt, Elsa's closest friend—her only friend, really. Her parents had treated her like Elsa's sister, though Elsa disliked that categorization of their relationship for some reason.

Elsa smiled as Anna now fussed with her bed's pillows, straightening and beating them for more fluff. She stood in her coronation gown, turning to face Anna. "I have no doubt it _will be_ perfect with you running the show, Anna." Though Anna was not technically under the crown's employ, she did more for Elsa and the castle than perhaps even Gerda, the head maid and Anna's mother.

Anna's hands froze at the compliment, hovering above the pillows at the opposite side of the bed, her frame bent over in order to reach. Elsa averted her eyes, but not before she caught the slight shock on Anna's visage accompanied with a faint blush.

The young woman stood to face Elsa who was donning her gloves with her back to her now. "Thank you…Your Majesty."

Elsa turned, leaning against her vanity with a warm smile. "No, thank you, Anna. For everything. You've always been here for me." Her expression became grave as she looked down at her hands in their gloves. "Even…even when…" she tried to speak of _that time_, the time she would never let herself forget. If it weren't for Anna's stubbornness and the trolls' reassurances that Anna was incapable of being frozen ever again, the soon-to-be queen would have shut herself off from the world after that horrible accident. She'd nearly lost her dearest friend. As it was, she'd cursed Anna, at least indirectly. How could she have known what the trolls would do?

Anna's eyes softened and a gentle smile took to her lips as she closed the gap between them to take her soon queen's hands in hers. "I'm too happy to be here for you, Your Majesty. Always. Don't worry; you'll do fine today. I promise."

Elsa squeezed the girl's hands. "Thank you, Anna." She sighed. "I just hope I don't freeze the ceremonial ornaments. Could you imagine?" She dropped her head in dismay at the thought.

Anna chuckled, making the queen look up at her in incredulity. "I certainly can, Your Majesty. The Duke of Weselton would probably faint on the spot. Poor little thing."

"Anna!" Elsa reprimanded her with a giggle and a gentle swat.

Anna unsuccessfully bit back her own giggle. "You'll be fine," she said again. "I know it."

Elsa's stomach curled as the younger girl looked up at her with absolute, devoted faith. _Anna…_

Before she could respond, a faint knock sounded at the door. Anna stepped to answer it, revealing Gerda. The woman entered into the room with smile. "Oh Princess Elsa, you look beautiful."

"Doesn't she?" Anna smiled brightly in Elsa's direction, making the future queen rouge slightly.

Gerda nodded, attempting to keep tears at bay. "Your-your mother and father would be so proud of you, Child."

Elsa felt a pang of regret and mourning resurface. She clenched her eyes shut and balled her fists, willing herself to conceal it. She'd always known she would take the crown when her parents passed. It was a painful reality of being royalty. A coronation was always a bittersweet day.

Anna was at her side instantly, enveloping one of Elsa's fists with her warm hands. "I'm certainly proud of you," she nearly whispered.

Opening her eyes, Elsa communicated her thanks wordlessly, relying on her expression to tell Anna how much she appreciated her now more than ever. Anna would know. She always knew.

And Anna did. She gave the faintest of nods and smiles before turning her eyes back to Gerda. "How long do we have, Mother?"

"Just a few minutes, now, Dear. I'll see you shortly, Your Majesty. I know I speak the truth in telling you that Arendelle could not have asked for a better queen to take the crown today."

"You are too kind, Gerda. I-I'll be right there," Elsa nodded. She let out a controlled exhale when Gerda was gone, still thankful Anna held her hand in comfort. Today was shaping up to be exactly what she'd always imagined and dreaded at once. A storm of emotions was brewing inside her as she simultaneously ached for her parents and hoped she would lead her people the way they deserved. She had an uncanny desire to run away to the mountains that surrounded her kingdom, taking no one but Anna with her.

"Are you ok, Elsa?" Anna interrupted her thoughts.

That brought a smile to the soon queen's face. She loved it when Anna dropped the formalities. Gerda had always disproved of their being so familiar over the years, more overprotective than the king had been, even. Every precious once and a while though, Anna tore down the royal wall that separated them.

"Stay with me?" Elsa asked her friend. "Don't make me walk to the ceremony alone. I might not make it," she chuckled nervously.

Anna chuckled softly in return. "I will be right here. We'll get through today together, you'll see. And, hey, there's the party to look forward to right? All the chocolate we can eat!"

Laughing, Elsa nodded. She straightened her dress though it was unnecessary and stared at the door in front of her. Stepping through it would change everything.

Elsa felt her hand becoming increasingly warm. She fought the temperature change brought on by Anna's secret with her own powers. "A little nervous yourself?" Elsa asked her, glancing down at the steam coming from their hands.

Looking down with another soft laugh, Anna replied "I can't say I'm not, Elsa. I promise not to burn the castle down if you promise not to freeze it."

"Deal," Elsa laughed with her.

"Ok," Anna squeezed her hand once before letting it go and stepping behind the almost queen to take up her purple train. She looked down a little sadly, knowing after today, everything would change.

"And Anna?" Elsa looked over her shoulder as she spoke.

"Hmmm?" Anna asked distractedly.

"You look beautiful too."


	2. Semi-Sweet Seconds

_A/N: Let's see if I can keep up the chocolate allusions along with the alliteration for these chapter titles, haha_

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Coronation Day Part 2: Semi-Sweet Seconds

Anna's eyes became saucers as she followed Elsa, holding her soon queen's purple train. Beautiful? Elsa thought she looked beautiful? She looked at the almost queen ahead of her. _Well, you're beautifuller_. She rolled her eyes at herself. _That's not even a word, Duffus. _

She controlled her breathing, telling herself to inhale and exhale.

Today was a big day. Elsa—her Elsa—was going to be _queen_. They rounded the corner of the grand hallway that led to the Royal Hall where the coronation would take place. All eyes would be on Elsa, but Anna hoped she wouldn't goof up or trip or something, ruining the somber occasion. She puffed a breath upward, trying to clear her bangs from her eyes as they paused before two enormous purple doors with guards waiting.

The captain of the guards stepped forward and bowed for Elsa. "Your Majesty, the Royal Hall and its guests are ready for your coronation."

Anna marveled as Elsa nodded. Now that the moment that would have turned Anna into a messy ball of nerves had arrived, Elsa appeared so calm and radiated strength. "Thank you, Captain. Tell the guards to open up the doors."

Anna's stomach knit as the guards moved to obey the captain. This was it. From now on, it would be Queen Elsa. She pushed away all thoughts concerning what that would mean, all the changes that would follow. Today was Elsa's day. She wouldn't brood on the future.

As Elsa stepped forward into the Royal Hall, Anna lifted her chin slightly, unreservedly proud of her almost queen.

The entire Hall was filled with foreign dignitaries and local lords and ladies who stood to bow as they passed. Anna took one measured step at a time, determined that they would both make it to Arendelle's chief magistrate in one piece. She continued to control her breathing in her efforts. _In out, in out. _The last thing she wanted to do was set Elsa's train on fire. A man she didn't recognize smiled at her when she looked into the audience. Thinking nothing of it, she smiled back politely.

At last they made it and the magistrate began the ceremony. Anna watched religiously when Elsa took the ceremonial ornaments from the pillow. _Stupid magistrate_, she pouted inwardly when he made Elsa remove her gloves.

Elsa turned and her countenance steadily became more nervous. Anna's eyes widened at the ice that only someone as close as she could probably see forming on the ornaments. She wiggled her fingers at her side, twirling the air around them and feeling it heat at her command. She smiled when the frost began to dissipate and Elsa visibly relaxed.

Able to relax now herself, Anna's gaze stayed settled on her best friend. She really did look so beautiful today. Her mother's hairstyle—the queen's hairstyle—suited her. The crown looked like it had been made for her, the stone matching Elsa's gorgeous ice blue eyes.

"—Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

"Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" the audience recited back, startling Anna enough to peel her eyes away. Elsa was queen. Queen! She tip-toe danced beneath her dress, wanting to run into her best friend's arms to congratulate her, and bit her bottom lip to stop a squeal. It would have to wait.

Elsa smiled as she faced the important crowd, but regarded Anna out of the corner of her eyes briefly to give her a soft and subtle wink in thanks.

Though Elsa was now officially the ice queen, Anna felt herself melt. Sometimes she loved Elsa so much she couldn't stand it. Surely such a friendship wouldn't change too much even if Elsa was queen now…right?

Gerda waved at her, blubbering from the sidelines and Anna smiled back with her always warm eyes. She bent to retrieve the queen's—q_ueen's!— _train again, following her as she exited the Royal Hall. They would have to change before the reception. In the meantime, Kai and Gerda, Anna's parents, would see to the guests' entertainment.

Passing the guards a little faster than before, Elsa's longer legs taking longer strides than Anna was prepared for, the redhead stumbled a little all the way back to the _queen_'s quarters.

Inside her chambers, Elsa flopped onto her back, landing on the bed with an "Oof!" clutching her heart and sighing in relief. "Thank the gods that's done!"

Anna chuckled at her, shaking her head slightly. "Elsa!" she laughed. "It wasn't that bad! It only took five minutes! And you're—Oh gods, I called you Elsa only five minutes after you were crowned!" she buried herself in Elsa's train that she was still holding to hide.

She heard Elsa chuckling and slowly peeked, lowering the train from one eye.

Elsa was already removing the crown and mussing her hair, ruining her painstaking work and letting it fall in a braid. Anna would have been furious if the blonde hair didn't still look magnificent. Elsa was biting her lip, trying to stifle further laughter at her expense. "Anna, as the _official_ queen of Arendelle I _officially_ command you to use my name."

"But!—"

Elsa raised a brow and wagged a finger with a smug smirk. "Ah ah!," she tutted. "No more 'Your Majesty', no more 'Your Highness', and no 'My Queen' nonsense. Nothing Anna."

Anna narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "Very well, Your—"

Elsa raised a warning finger, ready to correct her.

Anna smirked, letting one arm rest akimbo. "Your Royal Elsaness," she finished in a tease. "Oh come on, let me call you 'My Queen' just once!" she grinned, dropping the train to join Elsa on the bed and take her hands excitedly.

She delighted and chuckled when Elsa's cheeks blushed. It was adorable. "I-" Elsa began with wide eyes before she smiled and relaxed. "Fine, Anna, go ahead."

"Congratulations, My Queen!" Anna squealed and tackled her in a hug. "_Queen_ Elsa!"

"Oof!" Elsa's air was knocked out as they fell back on the bed. "Anna! Take it easy, sheesh," she laughed.

Anna immediately rose and stiffened. She coughed. "Apologies, Your—"

A warning arch took to Elsa's brow.

"Elsa," Anna rolled her eyes as she corrected herself. "I can't help it! It'll take practice, ok!"

"Then keep practicing," Elsa stuck her tongue out. "I'm making you an official part of my council as well so you'll have plenty of opportunity."

Anna looked horrified. _No! Not politics, no!_

Elsa laughed. "Don't look so devastated, you won't have to deal with all those grumpy old people—just me. It's just so I can keep you close like always. You're my second in command right? Partners in crime for all time?" she smirked at their favorite rhyme.

Anna's breath quickened and her heart thrummed as it swelled in joy and pride. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked almost breathlessly.

Elsa knit her brows as she frowned at her. "It was a surprise," she looked up at Anna with slightly pursed lips in confusion. "Surprise?"

Anna turned to avoid embarrassing herself as tears tried to break free. The only change she'd have to get used to was calling Elsa by her name. All of her emotions—her elation for Elsa, her pride, her joy—all came crashing down upon her, overwhelming her.

"Anna?" Elsa asked her, a worried lilt in her voice. She turned slowly, wiping the tear away with a full and genuine smile on display for her queen.

"Yes, Your Maje—oops—Yes, Elsa?" That was really going to be difficult to get used to.

"You're making it hot in here," Elsa smirked up at her.

"Oh!" Anna yelped in surprise, her eyes widening.

"It's alright, I've got it," Elsa smiled and twirled her hand so the air took on an icy, clean scent. Steam dissipated as a chilly air wrapped itself around Anna in a strangely comforting way.

Anna blushed slightly. "It's just such a big day," she offered an explanation.

Elsa chuckled as she rose. "Help me into my evening gown?"

Anna's eyes lit in excitement. "Oh gods!" She practically bounced. "The party!"

She rushed to the closet so fast the queen didn't have time to respond.

A hum of amusement escaped Elsa's lips softly as Anna fetched their evening wear that had been waiting, prepared by Anna weeks ago and checked again that morning. She plopped back down on her bed, swinging a leg to cross over the other lazily. She couldn't be happier that her first decision as queen had been to name Anna her second.

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_A/N: Thanks so much for reading! Big thanks to the people who followed, faved, and reviewed after the first chap XD You're too kind ^^ _

_Let me know what you thought about this one :)_


	3. Couverture Celebration

_A/N: Check out LunaHermione's "What if…" on deviantART for a visual of Anna in her dress and displaying her powers :D_

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~Couverture Celebration~

Anna ducked out of the queen's chambers after throwing Elsa's evening dress at her and dashing behind the privacy screen to wiggle into her own. Before Elsa could mutter a single gripe of protest beneath the dress that was now hanging unceremoniously over her head, Anna was gone.

Gerda entered to help her, sent for by the flash of red that had passed her in the hall. "Dear me, that girl blazed a trail she was running so fast to the ballroom." She lifted the dress from Elsa's head, uncovering her.

Elsa stifled a smirk as she imagined it. "Why is she in such a hurry?"

"No reason," Gerda looked all too innocent as she began to help remove the queen's coronation gown.

The queen's smirk fully emerged and her eyes narrowed. Gerda usually occupied any empty air with more conversation than Elsa could keep up with, but right now…She was waaay to quiet. "Gerrrdaaa…" Elsa teased as the woman lifted her dress after unzipping it. "Is Anna up to something?"

Eyes darting back and forth for a second, Gerda shook her head quickly as she denied it. "Nothing, Your Majesty." She carefully hung the coronation gown then took up Elsa's evening dress to replace it.

A brow arched as Elsa inquired further. "You wouldn't be lying to your queen, now would you?"

Gerda pursed her lips, refusing to answer.

Elsa chuckled and raised her arms for Gerda to pull her evening dress over her head. When it landed on her hips and shoulders, she took a closer look at the design in her full-length standing mirror. Gerda finished with the delicate, hidden buttons on the back and stepped away with an appreciative smile. "Beautiful," the woman nodded in approval.

"Your daughter has quite the… sense of humor," Elsa regarded the dress with a hint of amusement in her eyes. The gown could only be described as…icy. The shade of faint blue, almost teal, deepened as the dress tapered to the floor. Her icy-grey sleeves reached just below the apex of her shoulders from the wrists and a sheer cape draped her back with a subtle snowflake pattern. The dress was close-fitting and flattering without revealing too much. "She's been dying to call me the ice queen, hasn't she?" Elsa shook her head slightly at her reflection.

Gerda tsked and corrected her, "Snow queen," lifting a section of the sheer train to show the queen a snowflake's outline in the sheer pattern.

Elsa would have rolled her eyes, but Gerda was one of the few people that even a queen knew not to sass. She gave her a small smile instead. "Very well. Should I give her a few minutes to finish whatever she has planned or am I allowed to go to my coronation celebration now?"

Gerda harumphed. "Your father gave you that tongue. Your mother was too sweet to harass me so."

Elsa chuckled an apology, knowing too well from whom Anna had inherited her pout.

~.~.~

Anna shoved five more chocolate bon bons in her mouth, delivering a guilty-ridden, chipmunk-like smile to Kristoff when he looked back.

"You stole some didn't you?" his brow raised at his sister so that it disappeared beneath the rim of his chef's hat in suspicion.

Anna tried to say 'no', but it came out more like a 'mraoow'.

Kristoff shook his head, laughing. "How am I supposed to have enough of these for your surprise if you eat them all?"

Anna narrowed her eyes as she swallowed. She grabbed a glass of something as a waiter passed by with a tray to wash the sugary, extra buttery chocolates down with an "Ahhhh!"

She nearly melted into a sated puddle until Kristoff's bent over laughter brought her back. "Hey," she defended herself without apology. "I told you to bring enough to feed a reindeer, didn't I? This is the queen's coronation ball!" she huffed.

Kristoff rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. So where do I set it up when it's ready?"

"Right over—" Anna's voice caught when she saw Elsa enter the ballroom, announced with trumpets and Kai's (her father's) booming voice. "Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"  
The ballroom applauded merrily and why shouldn't they? The new queen was the absolute picture of perfection. Anna had known the dress she'd chosen would look beautiful on her best friend, but this…

Kristoff placed a gentle finger under her chin to re-hinge her jaw as she stared. "Um, Anna?"

Anna's eyes didn't leave the queen. "Hmm?" she asked distractedly.

Kristoff waved his hand in front her to try to break her gaze without success. He laughed as he unloaded more chocolates into the fountain.

"She's…she's…" Anna half whispered.

"Beautif—?"

Anna clasped a hand over Kristoff's mouth and spurted out "Beautiful!"

"Mmph!" he protested and struggled free. "That's what I was going to say."

Anna's lips pulled to a smile as she still stared, thankfully behind a curtain that was meant to hide all the bustle of the kitchen from the guests, but still allowed her to have a view of the ballroom. "I said it first. She's gorgeous!" she gushed.

Rolling his eyes with a wry smile, Kristoff said. "You're lookin' good tonight too, Kid."

That brought Anna's attention back around. She stuck out her tongue at her brother. He shook his head as he laid out a few garnishes to decorate the table that the chocolate fountain Anna wanted to surprise the queen with was sitting on. Next he set to work with the strawberries, bits of pineapple, and other goodies for the guests to sample the chocolate with as Anna let a flame pulse from her palm beneath the fountain to heat the chocolate.

Anna reached out a hand, trying to sample some of the fountain when it began to flow with a stray finger, but Kristoff slapped it away. "Stop that."

"Ooh!" Anna scowled and shook her wrist at the smart, almost pouting. "Greedy."

"This is _supposed _to be for Her Majesty," he chided.

"I can't help it if she has good taste," Anna smirked at him. The mention of the queen made her peek past the purple, velvet curtain once more. At first, she frowned at what she saw, but she quickly burst out laughing.

"What?" Kristoff asked curiously, too occupied with his work to look for himself.

"The Duke of Weselton caught her," she chuckled. "Poor Elsa. She looks terrified. I can't blame her. One wrong step and she'll squish him like the little weasel he is." She giggled. "Oh gods, is he narrating the dance?!" The queen looked like she was searching for someone to rescue her. _Elsa, you are so adorable. _

Kristoff finished at last. He poked his sister's ribs as he teased her. "Are _you_ going to ask her for a dance?"

Anna's face fell as she looked back at him. "What?" she frowned.

Kristoff smiled warmly at her. "Why not?" He wiped his hands clean with a damp towel.

"Because-because…" Anna stammered.

"Well?" Kristoff smirked, waiting for an answer. "You should have a little fun at the party you've been planning for over a year, right?"

She scowled at him again. "Quit kidding around, Kristoff. I mean, how would that go exactly?" she asked him rhetorically. "'Hi, Elsa, wanna dance with someone below your station so that every dignitary here will laugh at you'?"

"You know she doesn't care about that," Kristoff rolled his eyes. One of these days, his sister would have to deal with her feelings. Did she even know that she was in love with the queen? It seemed so obvious, but then again, Anna could be incredibly thick-headed no matter how smart she was. He decided today was as good as any for her to find out. He pushed her out beyond the curtain just as she tried to reach for another sample of the fountain.

Anna cursed her brother under her breath as a few eyes turned in her direction. She waved her fingers at those who stared at her with a plastered, nervous smile. Thankfully the guests quickly began to ignore her upon realizing she was of no great importance, but Anna felt her palms heat when she saw a pair of ice-blue eyes land on her.

Elsa felt her heart skip a beat. As if with a mind of its own, it had simply stopped when she saw Anna literally burst into the ballroom from behind the kitchen curtains. Even from a distance she was beautiful. The queen felt her breath grow cold as she drew in a sharp breath. A chill ran down her spine and she felt goosebumps rise across her skin. Had Anna always been this...this…stunning? _Of course_. _Sweet, beautiful Anna…_

Elsa turned her attention on the design of Anna's dress for a distraction. Oogling wasn't exactly regal. A half-smile emerged as she realized that if her dress was ice in clothing form, Anna's was fire. The silk cloth shimmered in the light so that different hues of red, orange, pink, and even soft shades of purple blended together to create the effect. Her eyes drifted over the show of Anna's collar bones to the shoulder straps draped over the side. A gold piping traced the edge of the bodice and inward curve of her hips. She smiled softly at the inside joke of how very far the metaphor of fire and ice went between them.

Anna was far from abashed when it came to her 'powers' as she called them. It took Elsa's cautious pleas and Gerda's motherly glares to keep Anna from walking around the castle with a flame in her palm without at least carrying the pretense of a torch. No doubt their dresses were a subtle encouragement for Elsa to be more accepting of herself.

Anna gave Elsa a small, awkward shrug and smile, embarrassed by her less than graceful entrance, a bloom of rouge on her cheeks that only flattered the girl more. As she waved timidly, the queen felt her lips spread with an involuntary grin which Anna quickly matched from across the room. The redhead bit her lip and held two thumbs up to subtly indicate her approval of Elsa in her attire. On that note, the queen determined to kidnap the girl for the rest of the evening. If that Weselton duke tried anything again, she'd sic Anna on him. It would serve him right after that 'agile peacock' fiasco she'd just endured.

Just when Elsa stepped forward to make her way to the one person she wanted to celebrate her coronation with the most, a young man stepped directly in her path. He wore an impressive military-styled white suit, a red banner beneath it, displayed over his light golden vest. His hair was a bit floppy and his sideburns needed some serious rethinking. "Good evening, Queen Elsa," he bowed with an overly charming smile.

Elsa stopped short, drawing back a little, her eyes darting to Anna. Maybe she would rescue her. "Good evening."

Before she could say anything further he took hold of her hand and waist and began a dance. She was so taken aback that her feet automatically followed his lead. Eventually the shock of his gall wore off and she had to fight an icy glare that wanted to show itself. "And whom may I ask am I dancing with?" She had to know who this man was so she could tell Anna to never invite him to Arendelle's balls ever again. _The nerve_. First the Duke of Weselton and now this. At least the sprightly older gentleman had possessed the manners to ask her permission first. How much of a tyrant would she be considered if she threw this annoyance disguised as a man into the dungeon?

The young man chuckled if not arrogantly, then with overconfidence before the Queen of Arendelle. "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles."

~.~.~

_A/N: Let me know how the chapter went ^^ I'm not sure who Hans should be more worried about right now, haha_


	4. Infusion

_A/N: So much for chapter title alliteration, haha XD buuut, I've maintained a chocolate allusion at least._

_And the awesome, wonderful, bestest ever 1Syphria requested a dance, so…_

~Infusion, Part 1~

Elsa's eyes darted to Anna's, pleading for rescue. This time Anna didn't laugh; it wasn't funny. The Duke of Weselton was harmless truly, but this …'man', let's call him...The queen had only just been crowned and whoever had taken ahold of Elsa was already begging for the guillotine as far as the redhead was concerned. She narrowed her eyes on his back as he twirled the queen. How dare he treat Elsa like some sort of plaything to spin around at his pleasure. That was most certainly not allowed in her book.

Anna felt her palms heat and her vision turned red. She wasn't a fool—she knew if she didn't check herself that her fire would burst forth at any moment. The real challenge was caring. It would be so easy to just blast the man away. She knew Elsa would be fine, protected by her own powers from the fire. Anna breathed in and out slowly, willing the heat to bury itself, calming herself for Elsa's sake—they were at her coronation ball, after all. She could do this. Elsa and she had spent years honing their skills together, learning from the trolls that emotion triggered their powers, but did not rule them. She could stop herself. She had to stop herself.

_Elsa. Focus on Elsa. _

Elsa's eyes were boring into the young man's now and Anna felt her lips twitch into a half smirk upon recognizing the icy glare that was seconds from emerging. Breathing steadily, she watched as Elsa spoke to him, feeling more at ease to see that Elsa was in control of the situation. As the dance required the pair to turn and the impudent man faced her, Anna recognized him. He wore the same self-assured smile he had at the coronation. Just who was this man?

~.~.~

"Prince Hans?" Elsa raised a brow when he belatedly introduced himself. "The thirteenth son of the Southern Isles," she recited from memory and regarded him coolly. "You are a long way from home, Hans."

Hans chuckled familiarly, the sound grating Elsa's nerves. "Yes. I've come a long way to hopefully whisk you off your feet, Your Majesty."

The queen looked away to avoid saying something undiplomatic, too used to this tactless approach. Countless suitors had thronged to Arendelle as soon as she was of marrying age. One by one they always left with a metaphorical tail tucked timidly between their legs. The queen simply wasn't interested and grew impatient quickly in playing host to such nonsense. Luckily Anna was always there to rescue her from the princes' attempts to recite poetry or shower her with compliments that fell on deaf ears. If that didn't work, a flat 'no' usually did. "I see," she responded at last. "You plan to quite literally whisk me off my feet, apparently." How original.

Hans smirked. "Whatever it takes."

Elsa nearly smiled as she thought of a way to escape him, but she didn't want to encourage him. "Prince Hans," she voiced in her most diplomatic tone. "Did it ever occur to you that I might have already been 'whisked away' as you say?" She didn't have a betrothed, but Hans didn't know that, did he?

Hans furrowed his brows. "Oh?" he looked genuinely surprised. What an ass. "Who's the lucky man?"

"That," Elsa's eyes darted involuntarily to Anna who to her amusement looked ready to charge at Hans at any second, "is not important."

Quirking his brow, Hans gave a slight shrug. "I don't see a ring."

This time Elsa let her icy glare show through. "I don't need one as I am not so easily bought. Now, if you'd be so kind, I'm quite finished dancing."

Surprising her a little, Hans slowed them to a stop and released her with a bow immediately. "I will not give up, Your Majesty."

"You would be wise to do so," Elsa responded flatly.

A sure smile, apparently his trademark, emerged on Hans's lips and he stepped closer to her. Too close. "What does this guy have that I don't?"

Elsa felt her eye twitch as she attempted to reign in her fury. He was so close she could feel his breath wafting over her and it utterly repulsed her.

"Oops! Oh gods, excuse me!" Anna stumbled and dug her pointed heel into Hans's toes, landing in Elsa's arms so that she could separate them.

Elsa thanked the gods silently as she held Anna. The redhead looked up at her innocently. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty! I'm so clumsy!"

Letting the 'Your Majesty' slide under the current circumstances, Elsa smiled. Anna's breath, unlike the prince's, was heavenly and welcome. It smelled of chocolate. _Little devil, are you holding out on me? _She wanted to smirk, but remained composed for the scene at play. "That's quite alright, Miss Anna, but you appear to have tripped on my dance partner. We should be sure your ankle isn't twisted. I'll deliver you to the infirmary personally."

Anna displayed a mock expression of horror. "Your Majesty! I wouldn't dream of you doing so in the middle of your coronation ball! You're too kind, but really," she rose slightly to place her weight atop the supposedly injured ankle, "it feels fine."

Hans, however, displayed wide eyes of pain, clearly in greater need of the infirmary than Anna. He held his foot as his ankle rested on his opposite knee and he was blue in the face as he hopped around imbalanced.

Smiling at Anna and shaking her head to deny her escape, Elsa replied "Forgive me, but I must insist on you remaining in my care if you will not see a physician." Feeling Anna's warmth impeccably balance her cool touch, she took Anna's hand in hers. "May I have this dance?"

Anna's mirth disappeared from her eyes at once. They scanned Elsa, searching her, as if Anna was unsure of what she'd just heard. They had danced probably dozens of times before, but Anna had always thought of those dances as mere practice for Elsa…but this wasn't the queen's chambers or her study. This was the Royal Hall. Had those dances been real all along?

"Anna?" Elsa whispered, urging her for an answer. She feared she would have to take more drastic measures to rid herself of Hans if Anna didn't agree to the dance. She still wasn't entirely averse to the dungeon idea. Besides, she held in her hand the only other palm she wished to hold for that evening.

Anna blinked away her surprise, swallowing slowly, never parting her eyes from Elsa's. "Yes, Your Majesty," she managed in a breath. Hearing her own answer, a slow grin formed on her lips and her eyes became bright with excitement. Luckily, she was facing away from Hans or their entire spectacle might have been discovered, not that either of them were concerned any longer. "It would be my honor and pleasure, Queen Elsa."

"I assure you, Miss Anna, that you do me the honor," Elsa smiled at her, her ice-blue eyes already dancing.

Elsa brought Anna in as she always did, a full but gallant smile on her lips as she stepped forward to begin their dance. Anna felt the room and all its guests disappear. It was just them, like always. Sometimes she wondered if Elsa cheated somehow; she was too elegant, too blissfully graceful. Surely she used her powers to line the floor with ice subtly so that they could glide like this. It felt more like ice skating than dancing. Sighing contentedly, she found she didn't care so long as it meant Elsa held her and looked at her like that—like she was the only one in the kingdom, let alone the ballroom. She was completely at Elsa's mercy and would remain so happily as long as Elsa desired.

As Anna sighed, relaxing into Elsa's arms, the queen forgot her previous dance partners. Frankly, she couldn't remember or think about anything other than Anna as she held her close. The chocolate she'd smelled on Anna's breath was more of an aura the redhead carried about with her. Her hair smelled like it and it made Elsa want to bury herself in it like she did on Sundays when they fell asleep together reading. She'd half-feared Anna would feel awkward about dancing in front of others, but the young woman in her arms never ceased to amaze her. Had she ever been afraid of anything in their lives?

She'd taken Anna's hand like she always had when they danced. This time, though, the dance felt like…more. Her palm that held Anna's felt at home and the idea of not holding the girl at her lower back with the other had somehow become unfathomable, almost ludicrous. Home. She was home. More than perhaps even her parents, Anna had always made Arendelle Elsa's refuge from a world that might not understand her, even fear her. As long as they were together she'd never feel alone. Upon realizing it, Elsa brought Anna closer, unmindful of how many eyes were trained on them. She never wanted to let go.

The music faded, but Anna refused to leave Elsa's arms. Her pulse had quickened during the dance and seemed determined to hammer on. Her eyes, too, refused to part from Elsa's as the queen lowered their arms, bringing Anna's palm in hers to their sides. Elsa's fingers shifted so that she held Anna's wrist between her forefinger and thumb. She tugged on it gently, whispering "Come on."


	5. Infusion 2

_A/N: To see an expression I often picture our dear Elsa wearing for Anna, check out "That half smile" by patronustrip on deviantART. *swoons!*_

_FYI, "Infusion" –steeping and removing; flavor extraction and incorporation_

_Many thanks to 1Syphira ^^ who is practically a collab with this/ will be helping out with future chapters, whoooooot! XD _

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~Infusion, Part 2~

Elsa held Anna's wrist gently as she led her through the dancing crowd. The Hall was lit by crystalline chandeliers reflected in the vast triangular window that sprawled from ceiling to floor and whose thick purple curtains were drawn aside for the guests to enjoy the Northern Lights. Elsa guided them toward the back of the ballroom. She gently opened a glass door nigh undetectable at the corner of the window, passing through it with Anna to a veranda hidden by the gardener's painstakingly cared for potted vegetation.

They approached the veranda's railing, both leaning on it as they gazed at the green and purple dancing lights in the sky.

Unsure what to say, Elsa broke their silence with a soft laugh. "Thank you …for the dance."

Anna's gaze left the lights to meet Elsa's with a slight smirk. "You looked ready to make that guy a human popsicle, so I thought I better do something."

Elsa chuckled and faced Anna, still leaning on the railing. "Please, you looked ready to blast him into oblivion—I'm surprised my ballroom isn't in flames right now."

"One does not set ballrooms on fire in polite society," Anna recited in perfect mimicry of their etiquette master, Mr. Stoiske.

Elsa grinned. "Do you remember that time we kept making his tea too hot and too cold when he wasn't looking?"

Anna stuck out her tongue slightly in mischief before she grinned up at the lights once more. "Of course," she laughed. "But I think the time we made the dining room go back and forth from feeling like an igloo to a sauna beats it though. Poor Mr. Stoiske. He thought he was having a stroke."

Elsa laughed softly, peering up at the dancing lights with Anna, letting her mind wander. She couldn't imagine what life would have been like without the girl standing next to her. When Elsa had first noticed her powers, she'd been afraid. Anna, on the other hand, had been delighted. She always snuck them out of their room to make the ballroom now to their backs into a skating rink filled with snowmen.

Then one day she'd hurt Anna. That night, after visiting the trolls, she'd convinced herself to run away. If she just left, Anna would be safe. Her father though, had sensed her guilt and anticipated her attempted escape, stopping her just outside the gates on her pony, easily outrun by his racing mare. She'd been so angry at him, too angry to listen to any of his calmly given arguments and reassurances.

Elsa smiled at the memory of her father's patience. Despite it, Elsa's mother had been the one to convince her to stay. She'd returned Elsa to her and Anna's shared room in the middle of that fleeting night and walked Elsa to Anna in the princess's bed. She was sleeping, but frowning, clutching at Elsa's pillow.

"_Is she ok?" Elsa asked her mother quietly. _

"_You frightened her when you ran away, Elsa. She said she would only sleep in your bed so that if you came back, she would be right there, waiting for you."_

"_Why?" Elsa had looked up at her mother. She'd thought Anna would hate her. It was the main reason she'd tried to run away. She was the reason Anna had been cursed with fire and she couldn't bear Anna's hatred for it._

"_Because she loves you and needs you, Elsa. If you left, she'd be alone like you were before Gerda and Kai joined the castle's staff. And she'd be all alone with powers she's never had before. Sweetie," her mother knelt to speak directly to her daughter. "Everyone needs a light to their dark, a summer to their winter." She held Elsa's chin, gently propping it with an index finger as she leaned to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Now be a good girl. No more running away. Anna needs you." _

Elsa smiled to herself. Her mother had gotten it all backwards. It was she that needed Anna. It was the most selfish and truest thing she knew about herself.

"The sky's awake," Anna commented wistfully, bringing Elsa back from her reveries.

The fog of Elsa's memories of her parents dissipated instantly and she chuckled. "You used to drag me out of bed with that as an excuse."

Anna lowered her gaze to grin at the queen. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much. You never said 'no'…" she teased.

Elsa rolled her eyes but with an undermining smile. "You wouldn't have let me sleep anyway. I figured I'd tire you out so I could go back to bed."

"Aw, come on!" Anna looked offended. "We had fun!"

Elsa laughed, enjoying the rile she'd won from her fiery redhead. "We did."

"So," Anna began a little awkwardly. "Being queen. How's it feel?"

"Like my best friend is going to ask me silly questions," Elsa raised an eyebrow and smirked at her from the corner of her eyes.

"Really, Elsa," Anna tilted her head slightly as she peered at the queen.

Elsa's expression softened. "It _would_ feel…lonely without Father and Mother, losing them both. But," she glanced at Anna with a tender half-smile. "I have you."

"I miss them too," Anna reached for Elsa, rested her hand on Elsa's to ease away any pain she could. "Three years and I still miss them every day."

"I know you do," Elsa gave her a small smile.

Anna answered with her own before asking "Do you think they would approve of you making me a part of the Council?"

Elsa's brows knit in a frown. "Of course they would. They thought of you as a daughter."

"And," Anna's cheeks burned. This was it. It was the perfect opportunity. "Your sister." She felt Elsa's hand grow cold immediately. Her eyes snapped to Elsa's in a vain attempt to read her. Was that pain conveyed in those deep, glacial pools? Regret? She could only determine that the queen had winced at her words.

"Anna…I-I don't think of you that way." Elsa opened her eyes warily as she said it.

Anna nodded slowly, patiently waiting for Elsa to continue. She felt her palms grow warm to match her cheeks, muting Elsa's arctic touch beneath her hand.

"I-" Elsa began, then looked away over the railing. Anna swallowed as she watched Elsa blush faintly, the hint of pink gracing her cheeks in a way that made her want to cherish them both with a kiss. Why not? They had kissed like that before, right? She had given Elsa many a kiss on the cheek, especially on special occasions. And tonight they were certainly celebrating a special occasion. The most special yet. Maybe a kiss on the cheek wouldn't be enough.

As Anna deliberated on the various reasons why kissing the queen was either a fantastic idea or a very stupid move, Elsa sighed as if in defeat. Anna was frozen to the spot as the queen reached toward her cheek, caressing it tenderly with the backs of her fingers and sending a chill down Anna's spine. She didn't mind though. It felt wonderful. She met Elsa's softened eyes and placed a hand over the one that held her cheek. She gripped it gently to lift it, placing a tender kiss at the center of Elsa's palm without parting their gaze. Elsa drew in a sharp breath when her blazing lips met Elsa's frozen hand. Encouraged, she reached with her other hand to tuck a strand of Elsa's hair behind her ear, letting her fingers trail Elsa's jawline delicately afterward.

Elsa closed her eyes to savor the warmth that coursed through her at Anna's touch, unsure if it was the curse or something else. She opened her eyes when she felt Anna's hand retreat. Her lids felt heavy and her mind was spiraling. She still held Anna's cheek in her palm. Her heart began to beat against her chest without mercy. A blend of trepidation and anticipation flurried within her. What if Anna was just being her usual sweet self? What if what she was about to do would change everything? What if it didn't?

Anna became unusually aware of her breathing as it became more labored. Her breath was hot, enough so that the puff of air it usually generated in the cold was pure steam, nearly creating a fog. Elsa was hesitating. Anna, however, could no longer think of a reason why they shouldn't kiss. Her eyes travelled to the queen's lips and she lost track of all thought. She simply stepped forward, closing those last few centimeters between them with a crashing kiss.

Elsa's lips remained frozen for a few seconds as she came to the realization that Anna was kissing her. When Anna's tongue brushed across her lower lip, she instantly thawed. She urged Anna closer with the hand that had never left Anna's cheek, deepening the kiss, apparently to Anna's pleasure because she moaned softly into it. A fleeting realization that neither of them had ever kissed any other made her return the soft moan. Anna's tongue danced wickedly with hers and she felt herself being pushed against the railing. She couldn't help grin on Anna's lips amidst the kiss. It somehow didn't surprise her that Anna would be a demanding kisser.

As their bodies drew closer together, the heat emanating from Anna mingled with the frost that Elsa's touch was becoming. The at once cold and hot pulsing through the kiss made Elsa thankful she had a railing at her back to brace herself against.

When they at last parted out of pure necessity, they remained fused together. Elsa smiled as she panted over Anna's shoulder. She chuckled, a little hysterical with bliss.

Anna chuckled with her. "What is it?"

"I knew you'd taste like chocolate."


	6. Sweet Morsels

_A/N: 1Syphria and I officially collaborated on this one together! Whoooo! XD Go check out her stuff! ^^_

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~Sweet Morsels~

Anna's eyes grew wide and a look of realization crossed her freckled face. "Oh! Your surprise!" She parted from Elsa slightly.

The queen shook her head to try and clear it. "The kiss wasn't my surprise?" she asked. She was a little amazed Anna could think of anything else right now. Elsa certainly couldn't.

Anna smiled at her like she'd just said the cutest thing in the world. "No." She pressed her lips to Elsa's entirely too briefly. "Stay right here," she whispered. Elsa nodded, unable to speak. Or move, for that matter.

A flash of red disappeared and the queen would have been anxious to be left alone so soon after their first kiss if she didn't see Anna reappear almost seconds later with a rolling table in tow.

"Anna?" she said, looking at the other inquisitively.

"Close your eyes," Anna called from the door, her voice filled with excitement.

A smile refused to leave Elsa's visage as she once more obeyed. She listened intently as Anna brought the table closer. She now vaguely recalled an overeager Anna bolting for the ballroom earlier in the evening. So this was what she'd been up to.

A pair of burning lips shocked her arctic ones, announcing Anna's full return. This time, despite remaining obediently blind, Elsa didn't let Anna part from her so quickly. Now that she knew Anna _wanted_ to kiss her just as much as she wanted it, she wouldn't hesitate. She found the nape of Anna's neck and pulled her in.

"Mmm," Anna hummed in pleasure upon parting. She placed gentle kisses on Elsa's cheeks and chin, lacing their hands together. "Ok, Elsa. You can open your eyes."

The queen did so, but upon seeing Anna so close, her cheeks delightfully flushed, she forgot about the surprise. Again.

"Well?" Anna said with a smirk.

The queen forced herself out of her daze and peered past Anna to the table. A grin spread across her lips and entire countenance. She brought their laced hands up and shook them a little in excitement. "Anna! I've never seen so much chocolate!"

Anna's giggle was triumphant this time. "We ordered a special shipment from Spain that arrived just in time." She walked Elsa to the table and picked up a long two-pronged utensil. Stabbing a piece of strawberry and letting the chocolate wash over it, she carefully guided the treat to Elsa's lips.

Elsa accepted it then hummed in appreciation of the wonderful flavor that attacked her taste buds. "Mmmm, oh gods, Anna." Elsa let her eyes roll back in pleasure as she enjoyed the flavors bursting forth. "So good."

Anna blinked at the queen with wide eyes for a few seconds. "I'm . . . glad you like it," she said, offering her a half-smile. "It's an extra rich chocolate just for this. What next?" She motioned to the treats.

"Pineapple, please," Elsa grinned.

Elsa accepted a second morsel of chocolate from Anna, intentionally letting another moan of delight pour from her lips. Seeing the affect it had on Anna only encouraged more from the queen. When Anna actually flushed scarlet, Elsa felt her heart flutter and the heat created traveled directly to the juncture between her legs.

Anna's delightful flush was just too much to resist. Placing her hands on either side of Anna's hips resting against the table, Elsa pecked her lips. Then her lips traveled down to bury face in the crook of Anna's neck. It was so liberating to finally be allowed to do this. "I'm guessing this is why you've smelled and tasted so good this evening."

Anna's chest rose and fell rapidly, and Elsa found herself extremely distracted when their breasts brushed on every inhale. "I may have sampled some to be sure it would be up to royal standards," Anna admitted.

"'May have', hmm?" Elsa whispered near Anna's ear, making the redhead shiver and close her eyes. Elsa felt Anna jolt when she ghosted her cold lips over her neck. "What would you like?" Elsa purred.

Anna paused, her breath now ragged. "The . . . um . . ." Elsa grinned and ever so carefully lowered the shoulder of Anna's dress, placing a kiss to the now-bare shoulder. "Nothing. Just the chocolate."

Elsa stopped, brow furrowed in worry until she saw the smirk on the redhead's lips. She found herself wondering how she could deliver Anna's request. As a means dawned on her, her eyes grew wide, but she complied with Anna's wishes. She raised one hand toward the fountain behind Anna, letting the chocolate waterfall run over her forefinger. She withdrew it and blew cool air on it, making the chocolate solidify before bringing it up for Anna to sample. Elsa's knees nearly buckled when Anna took the digit in her mouth without parting their gaze. The chocolate melted instantly in Anna's heated mouth and so did Elsa.

Anna made entirely too many delectable noises as she enjoyed swirling her tongue around the lucky digit. As soon as she finished, Elsa brought their lips crashing together. The sweet taste of Anna and the chocolate mingled on Elsa's tongue and she couldn't help leaning forward. Oh, but gods she wanted more. So much more. She'd waited so long to let this happen. She pushed aside the tray of fruit as she lowered Anna onto her back on the table, crawling on it to hover over her redhead.

The queen paused when she heard faint footsteps approaching. With a groan of regret, Elsa raised Anna back up, continuing the kiss when she saw a familiar head of floppy hair above a potted bush-tree. She grinned on Anna's lips before dipping to her ear. "A little louder. We're about to have an audience. Don't look." She held Anna's jaw, knowing she'd need to stop Anna from automatically following her gaze in curiosity despite her warning.

Elsa saw Anna's brow furrow in nervousness, but when the queen leaned in and tugged on her ear with her teeth, Anna's worry was lost in a cry of pleasure. Elsa hummed her approval, dipping her head to brush her lips against Anna's throat, eliciting the moans she wanted a certain prince to hear.

A curious Hans rounded the corner, clearly in search of the sounds he was hearing. Upon seeing the spectacle the queen had set up, he skidded to a stop. Absolute shock claimed his features. His jaw dropped. "Wha-Wha-" he stammered.

Anna broke the kiss to finally see who had interrupted and Elsa smirked to match Anna's pleased grin when it emerged.

The prince turned on his heels to make a hasty escape without excusing himself. Anna looked up at Elsa, biting her lip in a losing battle against her own mirth. Elsa couldn't stop herself from laughing and Anna immediately joined her. They bent over in their laughter, barely able to breathe through their guffaws.

Anna wiped away a tear as she attempted to reign herself in. "I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore."

Elsa held her stomach, sore from so much laughter. "I warned him."

Anna raised an incredulous brow. "That you would accost me on the veranda?"

Elsa put on a mock expression of offended innocence. "Accost you? I would never." Anna chuckled and laced her arms around Elsa's waist, enveloping her in warmth, as the queen continued. "No," Elsa chuckled with her, tucking a strand of the red hair behind Anna's ear, "that someone else had already whisked me away."


	7. Bain Marie

A/N: The title refers to a double boiler—a water bath; a means to melt without burning X) Cheesy, I know—wait, you haven't read it yet. Ha! You don't know how cheesy it is!

Final scene inspired by "I've missed you" by patronustrip on deviantART.

And if you like this one, you have the awesome and wonderful 1Syphira to thank for putting up most of the leg work ^^ I gave her a stick and she drilled holes in it and handed back a beautiful flute.

~Bain Marie~

For the rest of the evening at the coronation ball, Anna felt absolutely tortured. It took all her (not very considerable) self-control not to pounce the queen in front of the most important figures in the kingdoms. And Elsa, gods bless her beautiful heart, hadn't made it easy. The queen wore the dress Anna had selected like she was born to wear it, practically like she'd been sewn into it. That would have been torture enough, but Elsa kept giving her subtle caresses – a soft brush of the hand, a tender touch to the cheek - and lingering looks that had the redhead hypnotized. She had very nearly been driven to insanity.

But when the evening at last began to wind down and Elsa had gracefully made her excuses to leave the ball, Anna was suddenly feeling nervous. The moment had finally come when Anna could be alone with her queen, alone as more than just a friend, and yet she hesitated. No matter how long she'd waited for all of this to happen, she didn't want to risk rushing it. Elsa was her world, and the thought of losing her because they rushed headlong into something they weren't ready for . . . Anna refused to allow it.

The redhead paused at the door to the queen's chambers, unsure for the first time in her life about entering. Technically they were her chambers as well, since she and Elsa had always shared a room, oftentimes even a bed. When Anna's mother had expressed some concern about certain proprieties required of young women, especially the princess, neither Anna nor Elsa would hear of any change. They'd each stubbornly insisted that they needed the other to keep their powers in check despite their remarkable control.

Anna's cheeks rouged. After their little tryst on the veranda, she had a feeling it wasn't at all proper for them to share a bedroom anymore. They had crossed a threshold from which there was no return. Anna only wanted to go forward, and that "forward' most certainly involved a bed, but . . . '_Right. I'm not rushing. This is me, not rushing this. You can do this, Anna. Just act normal. We're just friends who just _happened_ to kiss. A kiss that just happened to be the most happy, most wonderful moment of your life. Gods, Elsa has me out of my mind and all we did was kiss! What in the world would I be like if we . . .?' _The color in her cheeks deepened several more shades at the thought.

Elsa pushed the door open and turned around to face Anna, startling her out of her not-so-appropriate thoughts. Anna felt butterflies in her stomach under the mere gaze of the queen.

"Anna," Elsa said softly, hesitating in the doorway, "I-I don't want to rush . . . this." She gestured to the two of them as she said the last word. "A-are you, I mean d-do you . . .?"

"Neither do I," Anna hastened to reassure her queen, breathing her own sigh of relief. She reached for Elsa's always frigid hands, lightly slipping her fingers into the other's awaiting palms. Elsa raised the redhead's hands to her lips and paused for a moment, causing Anna's heart to hammer in her chest. She drew in a sharp breath when Elsa's icy lips pressed a gentle kiss on her knuckles. The simple gesture sent a shiver down her spine and heat to the pit of her stomach all at the same time.

'_Oh my sweet Elsa. Do you even know what you do to me? Do you have any idea how much I want you? How much I love you?'_ Anna thought, unable to tear her eyes away from Elsa's ice-blue gaze. She knew her face must have read scarlet, but the queen didn't draw attention to it, thank the gods.

The queen smiled before lowering their hands. "Good. Because . . . well we should probably go inside before we talk about this."

Anna nodded, and despite Elsa's reassurances that they would wait before taking their physical relationship further tonight, her stomach knit with nervousness. Not because she didn't want something to happen. The problem was she wanted it to happen. Probably far more than was strictly appropriate.

As soon as they were behind the door, Elsa began her usual ritual of shedding what she called "the confines of society," which others tended to call "clothes," in favor of her nightgown. Anna quickly turned her back to the tempting display. _'Too tempting. Oh gods, I've looked at her hundreds of times, then we kiss and suddenly I'm afraid to look at her? What is wrong with you?!'_ Then again, just because she wanted to wait, didn't mean she couldn't be persuaded by a pair of legs and . . . other things she'd admired for far too long. That slender, pale back, the soft curve of her hips . . . the feminine, slender waist . . . her soft, impossibly perfect breasts . . . _'Stop that!'_ Anna mentally scolded herself.

She heard a light-hearted laugh behind her and dared to turn back. Thankfully, Elsa was already in her nightgown. Anna had loved that nightgown from the moment Elsa donned it for the first time. The white silk seemed to flow down her body like the wind.

"You've seen me in a lot less than my undergarments before, Anna," Elsa teased as she freed her hair from its braid. The platinum blonde of her hair was less intense but just as beautiful under the dim lighting of a small oil lamp.

"Yes, well . . ." Anna smiled, looking down. She suddenly felt uncharacteristically shy. "That w-was before . . ."

Elsa approached her with a soft smile. "I know. Just teasing." She kissed the redhead's nose when she reached her, making Anna feel yet another shiver course through her.

She swallowed and stepped back a few inches, hoping to reign in some semblance of self-control. "Should I run your bath?"

Elsa's eyes softened and she closed the gap Anna had created between them. Anna stopped breathing when Elsa lightly brushed her lips with the tip of her forefinger. "Why don't I run one for you? Then we can talk."

Anna's brow shot up in surprise. For some reason, the thought of the new Queen of Arendelle doing something as simple and ordinary as running a bath struck her funny.

Elsa seemed to gather her thoughts. Her lips pursed to the side in a pout as she folded her arms. "I'm perfectly capable, Anna."

Anna bit back her grin. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Anna had been hoping to get a rise out of her friend, and the queen didn't disappoint. She narrowed her eyes on Anna, her pout even more pronounced. When Anna laughed at the adorable sight, Elsa suddenly lunged forward, capturing her lips in a playful kiss. Anna temporarily forgot how to breathe when those icy lips touched hers, so soft and tantalizingly sweet. Elsa retreated far sooner than she would have liked, and a smirk had made its way to the queen's lips. "You were saying?"

Anna shook her head clear, narrowing her eyes on the queen in return. She decided Elsa had teased and tortured her enough for the evening. '_My turn.'_ Reaching behind her own shoulders, she began unbuttoning the neck of her dress. Elsa froze, her eyes transfixed on Anna's hands, and realization crept into her blue eyes. Then her expressed turned to a look of shock. Anna smirked.

"Anna," Elsa gasped, her voice a little too deliciously desperate. "Stop that."

Anna fluttered her eyelids innocently as she let her hair down. "Stop what, Elsa? You've seen me in a lot less than my undergarments before," she imitated the other's words with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Elsa let out a groan of frustration and Anna saw the queen's hands start to reach out before she seemed to remember herself and quickly folded them over her chest. When a light rose dusted the queen's cheeks, Anna almost melted all over the floor.

To distract herself from the beauty that was Elsa, Anna turned around and lifted her hair. "Unzip me?" she called over her shoulder.

"You're trying to kill me," Elsa responded, but she complied.

'_That makes two of us,'_ Anna thought when she savored Elsa's icy breath as it caressed the bare skin of her back.

Anna caught the dress before it fell down and held it up by the bodice. She turned back around to face Elsa and plastered what she hoped was a smirk all over her lips. "Just teasing," she repeated her queen's words once more and cheekily stuck out the tip of her tongue. "Why don't you go run my bath, since you are so suddenly competent with it, and I'll change while I wait?"

Elsa disappeared into their bathing room rather rapidly, muttering something about shameless redheads.

Anna grinned and shimmied out of her dress, replacing it with her robe. She joined Elsa in the large bathing room and was surprised to find everything just as she liked, right down to the rose scented bubble bath. The queen was leaning over a stand near the claw-foot bath, setting up some candles.

"Elsa," she breathed, oddly touched by Elsa's intimate knowledge of her bath preferences. "Thank you . . ."

She moved to Elsa's side and lit the candles with a mere touch to each wick.

"My pleasure." The queen kissed Anna's forehead tenderly before she started to leave. She paused in the doorway to give Anna a shy smile. "I'll be reading. Take your time." She gave Anna one final half-smile before ducking out.

Anna sighed contentedly and eased into the bath, all too happy to obey her queen's orders. She sunk further into the water, allowing her internal flame to seep from her and heat the water to near-boiling. Humidity from the steam filled her lungs, melting her further into the hot water. Her mind drifted pleasantly between thoughts of Elsa and how very wonderful the water felt on her tense muscles. Her eyelids began to feel heavy with every deep inhale of breath. On every exhale she replayed the feel of Elsa's lips against her own, remembering every tiny detail, from the softness of her lips, to the feel of cool hands on her cheeks. Everything about Elsa was heaven. _'Elsa . . .'_

Anna jumped half out of her skin when she felt cold lips on her over-heated forehead once more.

"Anna, you fell asleep. I was beginning to worry," Elsa said, smiling down at her.

Anna yawned cavernously and gazed up at her queen. "Did I?"

Elsa nodded. "It's okay. We can talk tomorrow. It was a long day."

"No, no, it's okay," Anna replied, stretching out her arms as she spoke. "I want to . . ." her words were interrupted by another yawn.

She heard Elsa laugh softly under her breath. "It's all right, love. Come to bed."

Anna suddenly felt more awake from hearing the term of endearment. The queen had called her that before, but there seemed to be something more behind it this time. Her eyes rushed to meet Elsa's, and she saw so much tenderness in them, it kind of made her want to cry. How long had that expression of tenderness meant more than friendship?

"Which . . . bed?" she asked carefully, offering Elsa a warm smile.

"Whichever you'd like. If you want to join me, I'd love to just . . . hold you." Elsa's cheeks flushed pink and she quickly looked away.

Nodding in understanding, Anna raised a bubble-ridden arm and pointed behind Elsa to a hook. "That sounds like heaven," she said, and she meant it. So many wonderful changes had come about today. Elsa was queen—_her_ queen. They had finally crossed a threshold she'd been yearning to cross for years. And now, she was going to fall asleep in the arms of the queen she loved. There was nowhere else in all the kingdoms she'd rather be. "Hand me my towel?"

Elsa reached for the oversized, fluffy white towel and held it up for Anna. The queen gallantly looked away as Anna stepped out of the bath to wrap herself in it.

"I'll . . ." Elsa spoke softly when Anna had a firm grasp on the towel, "be in bed, then." She touched a folded pile of clothes on a stand near the door as she exited. "I brought in your nightgown . . ."

Anna grasped Elsa's wrist, stopping her from leaving. It was just too sweet a temptation to resist kissing her again. When their lips met in a soft, chaste kiss, Anna was sure her heart would just stop from happiness overload. When she pulled back, both of them were blushing and slightly out of breath. Somehow, Anna managed to find her voice. "Thank you. I'll be right there."

Elsa nodded and left the redhead to finish drying off and ready for bed. A few minutes later, after blowing out all the candles and the oil lamp, Anna at last slipped into her queen's bed. She snuggled into Elsa's awaiting arms, valiantly trying to ignore the feel of the queen's breasts pressing against her back. Her lips curled into a smile despite her best efforts.

When she felt the soft press of cool lips on her cheek, she could no longer resist one last kiss. She rolled over, pulling Elsa against her in a tangle of limbs, and their lips met once again. Anna forgot how to breathe, how to think. Even in the haze of her dozing state, Elsa had cast a powerful spell over her. But then, she'd always been under her queen's spell.

After a blissful few moments, they retreated from the kiss and settled into the blankets. As their breathing evened out and their hearts began to beat as one, Anna knew she was home. She knew she'd never want to be in anyone else's arms but her beloved queen's.

'_You've put a spell on me, my Queen. You've stolen my heart, but I would have it no other way.'_


	8. Red Velvet

A/N: I super encourage you all to go check out ** 1Syphira**'s (the co-author of this story) **"The Queen's Consort"**-an incredibly original and might I say drool-worthy AU fantasy Elsanna fanfic! You can find her under my fav authors list-if there was a favorite favorites authors list, you'd find her there, but alas, it cannot be.

Thanks for reading/following/faving/reviewing! (It gives us magic writing powers, promise). Anyway, hope you enjoy ^^

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~Red Velvet~

_Velvet and roses. Elsa is basking, sinking, drowning in velvet and roses. Anna's naked skin against hers is velvet, her hair a cascade of red rose petals all around her. Her lips taste of chocolate and the sweetest of sins. Their bodies glide together as naturally as the rise and swell of the oceans. Anna is warm, so very warm above her. Her face is buried in Elsa's neck, lavishing attention on bare skin with a devilishly clever tongue. Elsa's body is on fire, every nerve ending hyper-sensitive to Anna's lips, Anna's naked body, Anna's touch, Anna, Anna, Anna…_

_"I love you," Anna whispers in Elsa's ear, trailing her lips down to ghost them over the queen's jaw._

_Elsa shatters. Icy fingertips dig into velvet flesh, raking over Anna's back in attempt to ground the pleasure flowing through her body. A cry of ecstasy pours from the queen's lips and she arches into Anna; her iron control is gone. It's gone, it's all gone and she never wants to be in control again, all she wants is Anna and this moment. Their bodies tremble and quake and gods…the groan pouring from Anna's lips is too much, it's too good, it's the sound of desire and lust and everything Elsa has ever wanted to hear from those lips that taste of chocolate . . ._

A sudden assault of sunlight on Elsa's eyelids startled the new queen awake with a groan of protest. It took her several groggy moments to realize the long red velvet curtains were being opened by someone standing by the window. She guarded her eyes to see who had interrupted her blissful dream and upon discovering the culprit, she jolted upright, suddenly very awake and blushing furiously. She pulled the blankets of the bed up to her chin, trying in vain to hide her embarrassment, though she was well aware it was far too late for that.

"Gerda?" she squeaked, attempting to sit up, but Anna's sleeping form was completely on top of her with her face nestled in the crook of Elsa's neck. _Oh gods_, the queen thought as she looked back and forth from Anna, who had been doing entirely too many delicious things in her dreams not seconds ago, to that very girl's mother. She let out an involuntary groan. Anna's mother was pretty much the last woman in all the kingdoms she'd wanted to wake her up this morning.

Gerda was still drawing some of the curtains back as she responded. "Your first day as Queen will not be spent in bed if I have any say in the matter, Your Majesty. The representatives of Parliament are here, the Council, leaders of the Commonwealth, not to mention the dignitaries from the Allied Kingdoms. And I'd have thought _you,_ Anna, would have woken her up by now."

The list made Elsa's head ache. As much as she'd been looking forward to shaping up Arendelle after three years of acting as the monarchy without complete authority, she wanted nothing more than to let the woman on top of her stay there all day. Gods, how long had she been fantasizing about Anna like this? And now that it was finally here, everything suddenly stood in their way.

"Anna?" Gerda called when no response came.

The queen looked down as Anna stirred, stretching her limbs with her eyes still closed. "Nnnnooooo . . ." she complained, burying herself further into the crook of Elsa's neck.

_'Too adorable,' _Elsa thought, a conflicted smile toying with her lips. She shivered when she felt Anna's breath tease her neck. She'd awakened entangled in Anna's arms many times before, but there was something so much more sweetly intimate about it this time. Especially if the sudden arousal were any indication. She blushed, all too aware of Gerda's presence. She let out a groan of complaint to echo Anna's and decided to hide them both under the covers for more reasons than one.

"Ten minutes," she heard Gerda give the usual warning then leave the room. Elsa and Anna had never been brave enough to see what happened after that "ten minutes" were up.

"Anna?" the queen crooned, ghosting her fingertips over Anna's rosy, freckled cheek. She stroked Anna's unruly red hair with her other hand, combing a strand behind the young woman's ear. "Are you awake?"

Anna sat straight up, tossing the covers off of them as she did so. "What? I'm up! I've been up for hours."

It took all of Elsa's iron control not to burst out laughing at the sight before her. Anna's eyes were still shut and her head was nodding in sleepiness. And was that...drool?

"Anna," Elsa said with a chortle, "it's time to get up, love."

Anna yawned cavernously, throwing out her arms in a stretch and nearly taking Elsa's head off.

"Anna!" the queen said indignantly. She tackled the redhead beneath her, pinning her to the bed with a playful grin.

Anna opened her eyes at last. "Mrngng, YrrrMjsty."

The queen exhaled another small laugh. "Wake up, Your Sleepiness," she teased. Unable to stop herself any longer, she leaned down to kiss her, marveling at the heat waiting for her on those delicate, sweet lips. They were practically aflame, and the intimate knowledge made Elsa groan softly in pleasure.

"I'm awake," Anna eyes fluttered back open when the queen pulled back. She smiled up at Elsa. "Really awake."

Elsa kissed her nose. "Come. Let's get dressed. Your mother will be back in ten minutes."

Elsa watched as a smirk fully developed on Anna's face. "Ten minutes?" Her smile turned devious.

The queen narrowed her eyes slightly and tilted her head askance. "Yeees . . .?" she said slowly.

Anna suddenly planted her hands behind Elsa's neck and pulled her down so that her weight was on top of her, renewing their kiss with a ravenous intent that surprised them both. When their lips met, Elsa felt herself melt against Anna's heat. It was everything she had dreamt of last night and too many nights before. Elsa found her lips parting before she could think the better of it, and the next moment Anna's hot tongue was tangling with her own. And gods . . . just like her dream Anna tasted of chocolate and the sweetest of sins. Fire and ice clashed, the very air around them fused with sparks of flame and the soft caress of snowflakes. Elsa dug her fingertips into the mattress, losing herself in the feel of Anna's lips and arms.

The kiss quickly grew heated, making Elsa's head spin and her body ignite with need. She nearly yelped when Anna's leg pressed against her thighs, but she couldn't stop herself from grinding down in hopes of relieving some of the burning ache in her core. Unfortunately, it only made her predicament worse, not better. When she shifted her own knee forward to offer Anna purchase, the redhead groaned against her lips, nearly making the new queen sob. She desperately wanted to tear all the fabric between them off and throw it away and burn it and never see it again. All she wanted was Anna's naked skin against her own, so warm, so wet...

"Anna, wait," Elsa panted, breaking their kiss partially to breathe, but mostly to stop them from going any further. "I want this, I do, but not with a ten minute deadline. I want . . ." She exhaled, lowering her forehead to press against Anna's. "I want . . ." _I want to be able to spend an entire night making love to you, worshiping you. _"I want . . ." she tried again, but still couldn't find her voice. _Gods, she's stolen my breath away._

"Shhh," Elsa relaxed as Anna soothed her, letting out a slow exhale. The redhead cupped the queen's jaw between her palms and pressed a soft, sweet kiss to her lips. "I know, Elsa."

The queen heaved a deep sigh of regret and somehow found the willpower to raise herself off the redhead. "Can we . . . can we go away?"

Anna's brows knit in confusion, but before Elsa could explain, their door began to open. They both shifted to their own side of the bed, blushing a little too much as Gerda came into view.

"Oh good," Gerda smiled at them, "you're awake. Queen Elsa, will you be dining in the Great Hall or will you take your breakfast in your chambers?"

Elsa's eyes flew to Anna's for a split second before she answered. "Thank you, Gerda, I'll eat here. Anna? Will you join me?"

Anna nodded, smiling at her a little too broadly before Elsa motioned with her eyes toward Gerda. Anna cleared her throat and turned toward the woman. "Do you need help, Mother?"

"No, no, dear. I'll bring yours as well. Kristoff has had it ready for ages. At least one of my children learned the value of an early start, thankfully."

Elsa smiled after her. She had heard this song and dance between mother and daughter on countless occasions, but Gerda never truly chastised Anna. She was a softy at heart. No doubt Anna had inherited some of her warmth from her mother.

"Thank you!" Anna called after Gerda as she disappeared.

Elsa took Anna's hands, raising them to lace their fingers together at shoulder level. She smiled as she spoke. "Breakfast. Meetings. Then we're going away."

"But how—"

"The dignitaries and everyone else are meant to be here for another month as Arendelle's guests," Elsa interrupted. "I doubt they'd begrudge taking in the sights or simply resting after yesterday's festivities and what will no doubt be exhausting debates today. I was planning to give them a break tomorrow anyway. I'll make it a holiday and give the non-essential staff the day off as well. My father and mother spent their first days as the new monarchs on holiday. It gives everyone a chance to get used to the changes that begin to take place and—"

Anna interrupted the queen with a soft kiss then pulled back with a grin. "You've convinced me," she said, though her eyes suggested she'd needed no convincing in the first place. Anna draped her arms over the queen's shoulders. "Where will we go?"

Elsa smiled and pulled Anna closer to her, trying not to focus too much on the fact that their pelvises were suddenly touching. "Why don't I surprise you?" She kissed Anna's nearest cheekbone before dipping to kiss her jaw just below the ear.

Anna's breath hitched. "Okay."

Elsa laughed softly. "Okay."

She felt Anna relax in her arms before Gerda entered and they forced themselves apart once more. The kindly woman placed their breakfast tray on a small table near the triangle-paned window, further instructing them to be ready for the meeting with the Council shortly.

Taking their usual seats—Anna on the bay sill, the queen in a comfortable armchair before the table—Anna offered Elsa her morning mug of hot chocolate and the queen accepted it reverently. She inhaled the delicious aroma then blew icy air over the top, cooling it to just the right temperature. Anna, with an idle twirl of her forefinger above her mug, heated hers until Elsa saw small bubbles rising from the surface and steam spilling over the edges. They both took their first sips and sighed in shared pleasure.

They giggled and said, "Jinx!" together.

Still grinning, Anna plucked a small strawberry from a crystalline bowl on the table and held it out for Elsa. The queen grinned in return, leaning forward to take it between her teeth. "Mmm!" she moaned. The strawberry was cool on her tongue, in contrast to the hot chocolate.

Anna made a small humming sound of appreciation, bringing a blush to the queen's cheeks. She saw Anna bite her lip before asking, "How did you sleep?"

The queen's eyes grew three times their normal size and she choked on her strawberry, making Anna deposit her hot chocolate on the table and hop off the sill to be beside her. Elsa felt tears form as she attempted to swallow and breathe at the same time, but she could only manage a fit of coughing.

"Elsa?" Anna's brows drew together with worry and her eyes looked desperate. "Here," she poured Elsa a glass of water and forced it into her hands. The queen gulped it down and her struggles eventually subsided. She panted as Anna brushed a strand of her blonde hair behind an ear and knelt before her. "Are you all right?" she asked, concern laced in the question.

"Yes," Elsa managed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Anna shook her head in confusion and her eyes bored into Elsa's, pressing for an explanation.

Elsa's cheeks nearly matched the strawberries. "Let's just say I had. . . erm . . . 'pleasant' dreams."

The queen watched as Anna's confused expression shifted to wide-eyed understanding then a devious grin slowly spread across her red lips. Elsa pulled her feet up on the chair to hide beneath her folded arms and knees as Anna laughed. When Anna's guffaws continued with no end in sight, she emerged to glare at the redhead. "What do you expect after you put me to bed with a kiss like that last night?"

Anna wiped a tear of mirth away as she answered. "I'm sorry. It's just...well, it's hilarious, Elsa."

The queen scowled. "I'm about to banish you from my breakfast. It was your fault!" she insisted.  
The girl before her merely continued to laugh, though with a tad more decorum. "I apologize, Your Majesty, but I cannot promise it will not happen again."

Elsa pursed her lips to the side in a pout until Anna rose slightly to kiss them.

"In fact," Anna smirked. "I can almost guarantee that it will."

Elsa smiled softly in response.

Still snickering, Anna resumed her seat on the sill. "So, pleasant dreams, hmm? Care to elaborate?" She popped a blueberry in her mouth and mischievously waggled her eyebrows at Elsa.

The queen narrowed her eyes on her once more. Then she smirked. "Well, if your groans were anything to go by, you were enjoying yourself in them."

It was Anna's turn to choke, but luckily her reaction wasn't nearly so violent. She swallowed with some effort before swatting Elsa and displaying her own glare.

Chuckling, Elsa sipped her cocoa before looking out the window to appreciate the day. She sighed wistfully, knowing most of it would be spent indoors. She let her eyes travel to Anna. The girl nibbled at a chocolate chip muffin, gazing out at Arendelle's fjord with her_. 'But we'll escape tonight,'_ she thought with a smile. '_Where shall I take you?'_ She followed Anna's gaze and her eyes trailed past the fjord to the North Mountain. She grinned at an idea._ 'Yes,'_ she thought. _'That will do.'_


	9. Conching

A/N: Thanks as always to 1Syphira for your help with this! *tries not to gush about your awesomeness...fails* XD

FYI: Conching - smoothing chocolate by driving off any unwanted, harsh flavors...or in this case, perhaps thoughts.

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~Conching~

Indignant. Was that the right word? Probably. Anna had never been particularly picky when it came to words. The emotion behind the words was what often mattered more to her. And right now, she was pretty sure that "indignant" would do. Or perhaps "livid." Yes, that would do as well. Also, "confuzzled." That was a word, right?

"Excuse me," she interrupted the other councilors. She felt Elsa's eyes train themselves on her. She met her queen's concerned gaze and gave her a look that read "I've got this." Elsa's eyes shifted from grave concern to the same . . . yes, she decided to go with "indignant" expression that Anna had no trouble wearing as if on her cuff.

She regarded the other councilors with fiery eyes. More than one had been surprised to see her join the meeting, but just as many had been delighted. Elsa had insisted that Anna be placed directly to her right at the long rectangular table as Elsa's Second—her most trusted adviser. She'd tripped and stumbled to her seat and remained quiet for the most part, not enjoying or truly interested in the politics at play. She'd have much rather been outside, basking in the sun or building a secret snowman with Elsa. At the very least, she could have been doing the usual duties she performed for the queen behind the scenes.

But then someone had gone and said something completely ludicrous. So ludicrous, she couldn't help pipe up.  
"Excuse me," she repeated, as if confused. "But did you just instruct Her Majesty to marry within the month? To someone she's just met?" '_That's crazy.' _

"Why yes," the most senior councilor, Councilor Forsik, affirmed without hesitation. "She is of marrying age and many kingdoms have sent sons as their dignitaries. They will reside here for a month, at which time it would be wise for Queen Elsa to form a union with an allied kingdom. It brings stability and happiness to a kingdom when a new monarch marries."

Anna blinked. "Kingdom? With which _kingdom_ she will form a union? Rather than which _person_ with whom she will have to spend the rest of her life?"  
She felt a draft flow across her arm and she knew it was Elsa's attempt to cool her down, but she wouldn't budge.

"Well . . ." The stodgy man chewed on his words for a moment. The rest of the councilors turned from Anna to him as if watching a tennis match. "Yes. A marriage is usually two kingdoms united, Councilor Anna. You know this."

All eyes returned to Anna. "I see," she said. Her voice was calm, but a fire still burned in her eyes. How far did Forsik want to take this? "And which kingdom, at the moment, is most appealing in your opinion?"

"Obviously the Southern Isles," Forsik waved the question away as if it were both irrelevant and obvious. "They have many resources and allies from which Arendelle would benefit. However, there are more than enough eligible bachelors visiting for Elsa to choose from, Councilor. Arendelle has wealth and prestige enough to offer. And I couldn't help but notice Prince Hans was the only dance partner among the eligible bachelors to enjoy the queen's company last night." He smiled. Anna wanted to swipe it right off his face.

"The Southern Isles sent their thirteenth son," Anna shot back. She deliberately ignored the fact that the man didn't even consider her a contender for the queen's heart. "They do not truly seek an alliance. More importantly, we haven't even asked Her Majesty about this." She turned to Elsa who, upon hearing the Southern Isles mentioned, had fixed an icy glare in the distance. "Queen Elsa?" Anna tried to recall her attention.

Elsa's eyes darted to Anna's and the redhead felt a chill course through her at the coldness of her stare. It wasn't meant for her, Anna knew, but it was piercing and intimidating just the same. Anna, however, was not without a stubborn streak. She pressed her point, her own eyes unwavering and demanding. "Queen Elsa, we have yet to hear your opinion on the matter, and as your newly appointed Second, I feel it is my duty that before this meeting ends, we hear it."

The queen's eyes stared back at her, her face a collage of perplexity and incredulity. "I have no intention of marrying any man-" she paused and turned her icy glare back on Forsik, "-within the month, Councilor Forsik. Surely you know me well enough to realize I would never make such a hasty decision. Now, I believe this matter should rest and—"

"If I may, Queen Elsa," Councilor Vett interrupted. He was a frumpy, but kind-hearted man, and one who had greeted Anna warmly when she'd entered the meeting. The grey-haired gentleman smiled in Forsik's direction. "Councilor Forsik was perhaps hasty, as you say, in advising you to marry so soon, but a betrothal could be just as beneficial to Arendelle. You would have as much time as you deem necessary to determine if the match proved amiable. What's more, Councilor Forsik neglected the notion of you taking a bride rather than a groom," he smiled at her knowingly as if to say 'not all old men are blind fools'. "Arendelle has no laws against such a match and several kings have stated their openness to such a union between yourself and their daughters."

"Yes," Councilor Oviss added, "and any heirs you name shall claim the throne at your passing with your command, Your Majesty, regardless of blood relation. What's more, your people love you. They want to see a happy marriage more than a 'fiscally responsible' one, especially after your parents' tragedy. And indeed, Arendelle is secure enough to afford such a luxury."

"I'm well aware," Elsa raised her chin, her glare still present but less pronounced, "that I may choose a bride. I, however, must repeat that I will not act hastily and I believe a promise of marriage to be all but as binding as marriage itself. Such a compact does not interest me at this time. At least-" her eyes flicked to Anna briefly, "-not with any of the visiting dignitaries, be they prince or princess."

Anna felt her cheeks warm at Elsa's statement and she covered as much of her face as she could with a palm, trying to mimic deep thought to hide it. The act wasn't too difficult. Her mind was spiraling.

Councilor Forsik sighed. "That is clear. I do advise you to do Arendelle the favor of spending some time with the dignitaries present to be sure you cannot find happiness with any of them. 'Love has a way of surprising even the most-" he paused and smiled knowingly, "-stubborn of us all'."

Anna recognized the phrase Elsa's father was famous for, and the queen's eyes visibly softened. His devout love for the previous queen had been obvious and he'd worn it on his sleeve proudly throughout their shared reign. Anna knew Arendelle desired such a match for their new queen. She remembered suddenly why she so detested politics. Even if Elsa wasn't expected to marry solely for Arendelle's well-being, she was bound to the throne, to duty.

Anna bit her lip, trying to bully away the increasingly confusing and troubling thoughts teasing at the edge of her consciousness. Thoughts like what could she and Elsa possibly become? The queen's marrying outside of royalty was as legal as marrying the same sex, but . . . would Elsa want that? Anna shook her head. _'Why am I even thinking about this? We've shared a few kisses, that's all. One step at a time, Anna. Sheesh. Now who's the crazy one?' _

Anna realized Councilor Forsik was ending the meeting and she forced herself to pay attention once more.

"Queen Elsa, the Council congratulates you once again and we are all more hopeful than ever for Arendelle's future."

"Thank you, Councilor Forsik. Councilor Anna?" Elsa turned to Anna, surprising the redhead a little. "Is there anything you would like to add before we end this meeting?"

"Thank you, but no, Queen Elsa," Anna managed. She even managed a small smile toward the other councilors. "We will reconvene at the queen's discretion. Thank you, Councilors."

A resounding, "Thank you, My Queen," filled the large hall when Elsa stood to leave.

Anna stood as well and followed Elsa out of the room, heading next to their meeting with the leaders of the Commonwealth. Dear gods, being Elsa's Second was going to be exhausting. '_Still,_' Anna thought as she looked toward Elsa walking steadfastly in front of her, _'At least I'll always be right here for you.'_  
When they rounded the corner that led toward the gates where the leaders of the Commonwealth would greet their new queen in the castle's square, Elsa stopped short. The redhead skidded to a stop, just barely managing not to barrel straight into Elsa.

"Anna," the queen said softly.

Anna's eyes flickered up to meet her queen's. Elsa was holding her elbows and biting her lip. Anna nearly clutched her heart. There was nothing in all the kingdoms she wouldn't do to quell the pain in her eyes away. She took a step forward and coaxed the queen's hands into hers. "What is it, Elsa?"

Elsa's eyes darted from hers to the ground. "I'm sorry about that meeting. It couldn't have been easy for you. It wasn't for me. I would have told them about us, but I didn't want you to feel rushed or to put any pressure on th-this." She motioned between them, but did so without parting their hands.

Anna looked down, not wanting to pressure Elsa into anything either. There were already too many responsibilities weighing down on those precious royal shoulders. Anna refused to add to them. She looked back up with the warmest smile she could muster. "I'm fine, Elsa." Her voice didn't waver and she almost believed the words herself.

"Anna," Elsa stepped closer, caressing a cheek. Anna closed her eyes to savor it, thrilling at a, now familiar, chill that flowed through her at the queen's touch.

"Please don't shut me out. I have no intention of leading you on only to break your heart, love."

Apparently, Anna's performance hadn't convinced the queen. Anna let a small smile escape. Of course it hadn't.

"You know I . . ." Elsa hesitated. She swallowed and gazed down at Anna with nervous eyes. "You know I-I love you, Anna."

Anna's eyes flashed open to meet the queen's. She _did _know. They'd spoken those words to each other countless times before in moments of joy, mourning, and even in passing, as if the sentiment were the most obvious thing in the world. After last night, though, Anna suddenly realized she'd needed to hear those words now more than ever. And this time they were different. Elsa had just said the three most glorious words she'd ever heard fall from those snow-cold lips, not because she'd never said them to Anna before, but because they meant more now than ever. After all, Anna didn't just love Elsa; she was _in_ love with her.

When Elsa cleared her throat and her icy-blue eyes fell, Anna realized she'd been silent for far too long. She placed a gentle forefinger beneath the queen's chin and raised it until their eyes met. "I love you too, Elsa._ So_ much."

Anna suddenly found herself pinned against the wall she didn't know was there, with Elsa's lips colliding against hers in a searing kiss. Anna let out a startled "Mmph!" but it quickly dissolved into a groan when Elsa's tongue swept across her lower lip, demanding entrance. When the queen's gloved hands slid onto Anna's hips, it made her head spin with overwhelming delight. Acting on instinct, Anna's hand slithered up behind Elsa's neck, pulling her even closer and deepening the kiss. The action caused their pelvises to meet, and both of them to gasp into the kiss from the intimate touch.

When Elsa pulled away, Anna's brain felt pleasantly fuzzy and flustered, and their cheeks were significantly flushed. Elsa's radiant smile didn't help her regain her focus either. The queen rested her forehead on Anna's and said "Good. Because I never plan on letting you go."


End file.
